Fists of Justice (Schooled in Magic #12)

“They didn’t show up for work,” Callam said. “Besides, Vesperian handled these accounts himself.”

Emily felt despair gnawing at her soul. “Where do we even start?”

Harman looked at Callam. “Which one of these ledgers is the oldest?”

“I think it’s stored in the vaults,” Callam said, as Markus and Caleb entered the room. “I’ll go find it, shall I?”

“A very good idea.” Harriman glanced at Caleb. “Perhaps you could escort him, young man. We don’t want him getting lost along the way.”

Caleb nodded and followed Callam out of the room.

“I’ll have my staff here within the hour,” Harman said. “Markus, you and your staff can focus on the notes – who bought them, when and where, for how much. I’ll concentrate on the big investments and whatever assets remain to the company.”

Emily heard a whistle. She turned and walked over to the window, just in time to see a train puffing out of the station and heading for the bridge. She wondered, grimly, who was running the station. Were they certain Vesperian’s son would take over the family business or were they trying to put a brave face on matters?

Callam returned, carrying a bunch of dusty books under his arm. “These date back to the start of the original track,” he said. “Anything older would be in Cockatrice.”

Harriman looked at Emily. “Could you find the records for us?”

“I can try,” Emily said. She had no idea who’d started the original railway, let alone sold it to Vesperian. Imaiqah would have to find out. “I’ll send a message tonight.”

Harman opened the first ledger. Dust drifted up from the pages. “We’ll start as soon as my staff arrives,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll have some answers by the end of the day.”

Emily enjoyed reading old spellbooks and figuring out the missing steps the ancient sorcerers had used to conceal their secrets, but she had to admit – as the minutes turned into hours – that accountancy was mind-numbingly boring. There was no prospect of danger if she transposed a rune or added the wrong ingredient to an alchemical brew, merely the certainty that a tiny mistake would eventually turn into an accounting disaster. She felt her head starting to pound, even as Harriman, Harman and Markus delved further and further into the files. Vesperian’s filing system made so little sense that Emily thought he’d just shoved paperwork into the files at random. It was a nightmare.

“He has an ongoing contract with the ironworkers to purchase thousands of tons of iron rails,” Harriman said. “He owes them upwards of five thousand crowns.”

“And another with the artificers,” Harman added. “They’re paid per engine, I think.”

“And he’s paid some of them in notes.” Markus’s voice was grim. “I think they won’t be repaid in a hurry.”

Emily rubbed her forehead. It was starting to look as though, if anything, that they’d underestimated the situation. Vesperian’s Ponzi scheme had grown and grown until it had started to consume everything else. Nearly every industry within the city limits had been selling…something…to the railway, from simple iron rails and steam engines to rope and luxury furnishings. And most of the debts had never been paid. It looked as though she’d been right, when Vesperian had asked her for a loan. He’d been taking out new loans and using them to pay off the older loans.

And sooner or later he would have run out of money, she thought. He did run out of money.

She looked up from the account book, caught Caleb’s eye, and nodded to the door. Harman took the book without comment and added it to the set to be studied as Emily and Caleb walked out. The upper floors were crammed with accountants and bankers, each one trying to put together a giant jigsaw puzzle, but the lower floors were deserted. Even the angry mob outside was quieter, somehow…

“It’s a nightmare,” she said. “It’ll take years to get through it all.”

She sat down on a chair, resting her head in her hands. Tomorrow, the bill would come due; tomorrow, the city would realize that the bills would not be paid, that the notes weren’t even worth the paper they were printed on. And then…she swallowed, hard. Thousands of people would wake up to the news that they would never get their money back, no matter what they did. It would set off a chain reaction that could bring the city to its knees.

Caleb moved up behind her and gently started massaging her shoulders. She looked up at him, feeling a sudden rush of genuine affection. He had to have been bored, watching and waiting while the accountants worked their way through the books…she silently blessed him for staying with her. She wouldn’t have blamed him if he’d wanted to leave. His fingers reached further down, working out the kinks…

“I love you,” she said, quietly.

His fingers seemed to freeze, just for a second. She hadn’t said that to him often, had she? She wasn’t sure she’d said it at all. And yet, she did feel something for him. Their relationship was…stable. Maybe she would never have Imaiqah’s series of romances mixed with break-ups and new romances – or Alassa’s passionate relationship with Jade – but she didn’t want it. She wanted someone who would be there for her, someone she could trust with her life…

The thought caused her a stab of guilt. She hadn’t trusted him completely, had she?

“I love you too,” he whispered.

His lips pressed against the back of her neck. She shivered as he kissed her, then lifted her head so he could kiss her lips. A thrill of excitement ran through her body, mingled with a fear of discovery. This wasn’t Whitehall. There would be consequences if they were caught making out when there was work to be done. She dreaded to think what Caleb’s mother would say if they embarrassed the family. And yet…part of her wanted to throw caution to the winds.

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